Streusel

Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.

Make the crust: Stir the melted butter, coconut crystals, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350°F (177°C).

Spread preserves over warm crust.

Make the streusel: Whisk the oats, coconut crystals, cinnamon, and almond flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter alternative with a pastry blender or two forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the filling with streusel and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown. The raspberry filling should be bubbling on the edges.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight).

These are like candy, but oh so good for you! I’ve been tweaking the recipes for a year, and this batch is by far the best! I’ll add more variations as I make them.

First, about the ingredients. These are not cheap to make, but trust me, it’s worth the cost! Some of the ingredients are not easy to find, but I found them all in one place Lucky Vitamin.

You can also get the cocoa nibs from Lucky Vitamin.

This is for 2 batches. I usually make 2 batches at the same time with variations. These 2 are Almond Joy, and Turtle, although I put coconut in both.

Bottom Layer

2 Cups Chopped Nuts

2 Cups Oatmeal

7oz. Cocoa Butter

6 Tbs. Coconut Butter

6 Tbs. Ground Cocoa Nibs (you could also use cocoa powder)

2 tsp. Vanilla

You don’t need a fancy double boiler! Just use glass, not plastic.

Melt Cocoa Butter, Coconut Butter, in double boiler. Since I was making 2 kinds, I used 2 measuring cups, one for each.

Add cocoa, and vanilla.

Chop the nuts, and put them in parchment lined pans.

Add oatmeal right on top of the nuts, don’t mix.

Pour melted mix over as evenly as possible.

Put that in the freezer while you work on the top half.

Top Layer

3/4 cup brown rice syrup

1 cup nut butter (I used 1/2 cup each of peanut, and almond)

1 cup coconut ( or and dried fruit)

2 Tbs. ground flax seeds

4 cups puffed rice (like rice crispies)

Sweet drop flavor to taste. I used 1/2 tsp or less in each, I think they were perfect, my son said not sweet enough. I used caramel with pecans and peanut butter, and coconut with almonds, and almond butter.

Melt nut butter, and brown rice syrup in double boiler. after you take it off the heat, add sweet drops.

Put all the rest of the ingredients in bowls, 1 for each batch.

Pour melted brown rice mixture over dry ingredients.

Mix well.

Pour over frozen first layer. Place wax paper, of parchment paper over top, and press evenly.

I’ve been talking about this with my massage clients, so I figured I’d post it.

I originally made these at a camping event. We were in charge of breakfast for about 40, and had a huge pot of leftover oatmeal. I was skimming the crusty bits off the top, and my friend Nancy said, “Why don’t we fry that, like polenta?”.